CHAPEL HILL—The Board of Directors of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association denied the appeal of Myers Park High School on Tuesday afternoon to extend their women’s basketball season to play in a national event.

                  The full Board convened via conference call and voted unanimously, after lengthy deliberation, to uphold the current rule and deny the appeal. The Board also voted unanimously to place the rule on the agenda for review for its May meeting, directing the staff to gather information and additional feedback from the NCHSAA membership as well as policies from other state associations.

                  The long-standing NCHSAA rule is that the season ends for a team with the last regularly scheduled game, completion of the conference tournament or when defeated in the state playoffs, with the state championship game being the culmination of the season. Myers Park, which won the NCHSAA state 4-A women’s basketball championship on Saturday night, asked for a waiver of the rule to participate in a national basketball event in April in New York City.

                  Davis Whitfield, commissioner of the NCHSAA, said, “The Board of Directors had a very difficult decision and Myers Park made a very thorough and thoughtful presentation. However, the Board concluded that there are more factors to consider than simply waiving rule 2.3.14, allowing a school to play after the end of the season.  This event has not been sanctioned by the NCHSAA nor by the National Federation, which also means there could be insurance ramifications.  The Board felt there were lots of layers to this other than just waiving the policy itself.”

                  An appeal to the full Board of Directors is the final step in NCHSAA due process. The decision by the Board of Directors is both final and binding.